A Special Astronaut Sleeping Bag to Relieve Vision Problems in SpaceBy Dr. Svetlana Pilyugina
(...) Like all NASA astronauts, Phillips had 20/20 vision when he joined the space program. But, as reported by the BBC, after about three months in the microgravity of space, Phillips noticed that his view of Earth was becoming somewhat blurry. Sure enough, upon return to his home planet, Phillips’ post-flight physical showed that his vision had degraded from 20/20 to 20/100.
Flat eyeballs and swollen optic nervesNASA took Phillips’ vision problems seriously. Top specialists from various fields put him through MRIs, retinal scans, neurological tests, and a spinal tap. All of those tests showed that not only was Phillips’ vision worse, he had been subjected to what ophthalmologists call “ocular remodeling.” His symptoms included flattening of the eyeballs and swelling of the optic nerves; his retinas were pushed forward, and he had choroidal folds, which are like stretch marks in the vascular tissue behind the retinas.
Returning to Earth did somewhat improve Phillips’ vision. After about six months back in the grip of Earth’s gravity, his eyesight improved from 20/100 to 20/50, and there it has stayed. As reported by the BBC, he must wear glasses to drive. But he wouldn’t trade his experience in space even for Superman’s X-ray vision. (...)
https://assileye.com/blog/astronaut-sleeping-bag-relieves-vision-problems-in-space/Association of Space Explorers @ASE_Astronauts 5:31 PM · Apr 15, 2026
#ASEspotlight: John Phillips 💫
In May 2005, ASE Life Member Phillips assembled a vacuum cleaner while living aboard the @Space_Station as part of Expedition 11.
Fun fact: He enjoys kayaking!
Happy 75th birthday, John! 🎉
https://twitter.com/ASE_Astronauts/status/2044438510086533253
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